Chisago City
Minnesota
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Chisago Lakes Baptist Church And School
Our Church History
Chisago Lakes Baptist Church, orginally called the Bible Baptist Church, began with 25 charter members and only four families in the living room of the Robert Forsyth home in Shafer MN. After signing the charter membership on Easter Sunday, 1962, two of the families cashed in life insurance policies to obtain enough funds to purchase a large home in Lindstrom to serve as their regular meeting place. Unable to support a full-time pastor at that time, the church was served by Reverend Percy Heilig, a retired pastor who had moved into the area, and Clark Goss, who continues to be a member of this church.
In June of 1967, Ernest Schmidt accepted a full-time position as pastor and the church began to grow under his leadership. The congregation began to meet in facilities which later became the city hall of Chisago City. Seventy-five new members joined the church in the four years Pastor Schmidt served. Upon Pastor Schmidt's resignation in 1971, Gene Brush became pastor and the church bought the present property of approximately 20 acres at the junction of US 8 and Minnesota 22. Pastor Brush led the church's first building program and the first service was held in the new sanctuary in July 1973. The next year, Chisago Lakes opened a private school on the same property, which continues today with grades K-12. Pastor Brush resigned in 1975 to go as a missionary to Spain.
Dr. George Cable came from Wisconsin in December 1975 to become the third resident pastor of Chisago Lakes. In 1979, the church and school were renamed Chisago Lakes Baptist Church to reflect its indentity with the community. A new educational building was completed with a gymnasium in 1978; an annex for further classrooms and church offices was constructed two years later. At about this time, Chisago Lakes began to broadcast Sunday morning services over WLKX, Forest Lake, which continues today. Membership growth was such that it became apparent that new church assembly space would be needed in the near future. In December of 1996, Dr. Cable retired.
During the next 18 months, the pulpit was filled by an assistant pastor and an interim pastor. Chisago Lakes once again called Dr. Ernest Schmidt, who accepted the position in 1998. Under Pastor Schmidt's leadership, the church has continued to grow, and Dr. Cable's earlier vision of a larger assembly area was finally realized in January 2001, with the opening of a new 400 seat auditorium, dedicated on February 4, 2001.
In April 2002, Pastor Schmidt announced his resignation and accepted the call to Faith Baptist Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa to lead the Pastoral Department in Practical Theology. Beginning in June 2002, Pastor Matt Morrell fulfilled the Assistant and Pastoral duites of Chisago Lakes Baptist Church; he was called to be the senior pastor in April 2003.
Chisago Lakes Baptist Church, orginally called the Bible Baptist Church, began with 25 charter members and only four families in the living room of the Robert Forsyth home in Shafer MN. After signing the charter membership on Easter Sunday, 1962, two of the families cashed in life insurance policies to obtain enough funds to purchase a large home in Lindstrom to serve as their regular meeting place. Unable to support a full-time pastor at that time, the church was served by Reverend Percy Heilig, a retired pastor who had moved into the area, and Clark Goss, who continues to be a member of this church.
In June of 1967, Ernest Schmidt accepted a full-time position as pastor and the church began to grow under his leadership. The congregation began to meet in facilities which later became the city hall of Chisago City. Seventy-five new members joined the church in the four years Pastor Schmidt served. Upon Pastor Schmidt's resignation in 1971, Gene Brush became pastor and the church bought the present property of approximately 20 acres at the junction of US 8 and Minnesota 22. Pastor Brush led the church's first building program and the first service was held in the new sanctuary in July 1973. The next year, Chisago Lakes opened a private school on the same property, which continues today with grades K-12. Pastor Brush resigned in 1975 to go as a missionary to Spain.
Dr. George Cable came from Wisconsin in December 1975 to become the third resident pastor of Chisago Lakes. In 1979, the church and school were renamed Chisago Lakes Baptist Church to reflect its indentity with the community. A new educational building was completed with a gymnasium in 1978; an annex for further classrooms and church offices was constructed two years later. At about this time, Chisago Lakes began to broadcast Sunday morning services over WLKX, Forest Lake, which continues today. Membership growth was such that it became apparent that new church assembly space would be needed in the near future. In December of 1996, Dr. Cable retired.
During the next 18 months, the pulpit was filled by an assistant pastor and an interim pastor. Chisago Lakes once again called Dr. Ernest Schmidt, who accepted the position in 1998. Under Pastor Schmidt's leadership, the church has continued to grow, and Dr. Cable's earlier vision of a larger assembly area was finally realized in January 2001, with the opening of a new 400 seat auditorium, dedicated on February 4, 2001.
In April 2002, Pastor Schmidt announced his resignation and accepted the call to Faith Baptist Seminary in Ankeny, Iowa to lead the Pastoral Department in Practical Theology. Beginning in June 2002, Pastor Matt Morrell fulfilled the Assistant and Pastoral duites of Chisago Lakes Baptist Church; he was called to be the senior pastor in April 2003.